Takami Kuniichi 高見國一

I can’t believe I’m only now getting around to posting these. Where does the time go?

あっと言う間ですね。ちょうど今更新しています。

These are the latest images of my friend Takami Kuniichi, a Japanese swordsmith. For those who aren’t familiar, I’ve been photographing him at work for over a decade now. It really is an honour to be allowed in to his world. Granted, we’ve become very good friends over the years, but it’s still a thrill to have such intimate access to a world that is so intrinsically Japanese, yet still something that very few Japanese will ever have the chance to see.

As usual for spring, he was putting the final touches on the sword he created for the big competition of the year. Winning a prize is a huge feather in the cap of a Toukou (swordsmith). Like in many art-based pursuits, and making swords like this is certainly an art, winning prizes adds credibility, which then raises the prices he can charge for a commissioned piece. I better order one from him before he wins too many more prizes or I’ll never be able to afford one.